Question From: Y. Bartholomew - New Hampshire, United States
Q: Hi - I live in Spain, very hot and dry, currently around 40 degrees plus. I have a pear tree (conference) that I planted last year. It was late breaking bud - around May - and now the leaves are a very delicate, pale yellow and it is just not thriving. I have fed it, it has good soil and plenty of water. All my other fruit trees - citrus and avocado and plum - are thriving happily. There are no other pear trees in the neighbourhood. What can I do for my poor pear??? Thanks
A: Sounds like your tree is dying, Trees make their own food, i.e. carbohydrates by photosynthesis in their leaves. Yellow leaves are unable to photosynthesize and therefore the tree is slowly starving to death. Fertilizer is not food. It stimulates the tree to grow new leaves, more roots, more fruit. If the tree lacks food it can do none of these. Sorry for the bad news. Keeping it watered is your best bet. Good Luck. Nancy
